Photographic camera.



J. A. ROBERTSON &-R. KROEDEL.

PHOTOGRAPHIC CAMERA.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR. a, 1912.

1,107,358, Patented Aug.18,'1914.

3 SHEIJS-SHEET 1.

JQA. ROBERTSON & R. KROEDEL. PHOTOGRAPHIG CAM; 3A.

7 APPLICATION IILBD MAB. 8, 19 1 ,107,358, Patented Aug; 18, 1914.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

M i I Y 17 16 if- 77 76' 267 7 J 111. 7a

Z17 El mvewtozo J. ROBERTSON & R. KROEDEL.

PHOTOGRAPHIO CAMERA.

APPLICATION FILED MAILB, 1912.

Patented Aug. 18, 1914.

3 SHBETSSHEET 3.

Mweoaw U N [TED STATES ar-Eur OFFICE.

JOHN A. ROBERTSON AND ROBERT KROEDEL, OF ROCHESTER, NEW-YORK, ASSIGNOBS TO EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ,A CORPORATION. OE

NEW YORK.

PHOTOGRAPHIC CAMERA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 18,1914.

Application filed Iarch'8, 1912. Serial No. 682,393.

. ing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the adcompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to the reference-numerals marked thereon.

Our present invention relates to photography and more particularly to' photographic cameras and has'forone of its objects toprovide certain improvements in general features of camera construction, par-. ticularly the construction of foldmgcameras whereby the camera is simplified with respect to both its construction and use.

More specifically, the improvements relate to the manner of supporting and projecting the bellows and front; to the mode of inserting and removing the spools; to the general assembling of the bellows and connected parts with the camera body, and to a provision whereby the air is enabled to escape easily and quickly, from the bellows.

To these and other ends the invention consists in certain improvements and com binations of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of the specification.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a front elevation of a folding camera constructed in accordance with and illustrating one embodiment of ourinvention, the same being in open or extended position; Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the bellows supporting means de-. tached from the camera; Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the camera in a partially folded condition with the cover plate removed; Fig. 5: is a section taken substantially on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2; Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of the cover plate; Fig. 7 is a detail section, enlarged, takenthrough the door on the camera back, substantially on the line 77 of Fig. 5; Fig. 8 is a rear elevation of the front with portions of the bellows support in projected position; Fig. 9 is a rear elevation of, a portion f the fr nt showing the positions of certain parts of Fig. 8 when the camera is folded; Fig. 10 is a central longitudinal section through the bellows and immediately adjacent parts, and Fig. 11 is a detail section on the line 1111 of Fig. 4.

Similar reference numerals throughout the several figures indicate the same parts.

In the present embodiment of our invention we have shown a folding camera of the fixed focus type and which comprises a front, indicated enerally by 1, a body, indicated generally %y 2, and a flexible bellows 3 connecting-these parts.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6 the body proper or main casing 2 is formed of a back piece 4 and end pieces 5 and 8, the former of which last two men- 'tioned parts is preferably rigidly or integrally connected to the back piece, while the last mentioned is removable. The back piece 4 may be formed of a single sheet of material having its ends turned forwardly and thence inwardly, as at 5, to constitute three walls of each of two film spool chamhers 7 and 8, located at the top and bottom of the camera body, respectively, with a bellows chamber 9 between them. The remaining walls of these spool chambers are constituted by the forwardly turned ends 10 of a frame 11, the intermediate portion of which forms the front wall of the exposure chamber 12 which is merely a restricted film passage connecting the spool chambers.

4; feed spool 13 is journaled in one of the film chambers and a windin spool 14 in the other, the film being fed om one to the other, as needed, through the exposure chamber 12 in the usual manner, the frame 11 acting as a guide therefor. Suitable boxes l5'ar e provided atthe ends of the chambers for the trunnions 16 of the spools, and the latter are inserted endwise into the chambers and the cover plate 6 then applied in such manner that the boxes 15 carried thereby eooperate with the outer trunnions of thecoop rates therewith to ro e it t r i ing purposes. A leaf spring l8, mounted on a wall of each chamber 7*8 operates to 'maintain a tension on each film roll to prevent over-running and also tends to prevent the spools from falling out of the chambers when the cover plate 6 is removed, as it is evident from Fig. 5 that the springs must,

exposure chamber 12 to constitute a single cover for all of them and is held in place by a suitable locking device, a specific form of which, that we prefer, will be hereinafter described.

The frame 11, of course, has an opening therein in the axis of the lens, as shown more particularly in Fig. 10, at the margin of which a forwardly projecting flange 19 is formed and fitting over this flange to fit the opening is a frame 20 to which the rear end of the bellows 3 is cemented or otherwise attached. The flange 19 holds this frame in place with respect to the axis of the lens and it is held against the frame 11 by anotherframe 21 having cut away portions 22 (Figs. 4c and 10) at oppositesides to receive beneath it opposite edges of the frame 20. The frames 11 and 21 are secured together in any suitable manner, as by the screws 23.

The forward ends of the bellows3 and the front 1 to which it is connected are entirely supported on the frames 11 and 21 in a manner hereinafter described. and it will, therefore, be seen that all of these parts may be assembled, complete, independently of the body and then placed in position in the latter, to which end the forwardly extending portions 10 of the plate 11 and the inwardly turned portions 5 of the back 4 are provided with interlocking flanges 24- and 25 that may be slidably disengaged in a direction parallel with the focal plane of the camera and longitudinally of the axes of the film spools. As before mentioned, the frames 11 and 21 are fastened together at and. therefore, screws or other suitable devices 26 (Fig. 5) extending through the fixed end plate 5 of the camera body and engaging the frame 21 hold both frames in place.

The outer end of the bellows 3 and the front 1 are supported in a projected position Y by a lazy tongs unit, indicated generally by 27, arranged at each side of the bellows.

'The free ends 28 of the links at the inner ends of each lazy tongs, which links are pivoted together at 29, are provided with studs 30 that slidably engage slots or other suitable guides 31 in the plate 21 permitting the .extension and retraction of the lazy tongs and when the camera is folded an extension on the pivot 29 cooperates with the recessed portion 32 on the frame 21 to lock the lazy tongs support and the bellows in collapsed position within the chamber 9 (see Fig. 11). The frame 21 is preferably slotted at 33 adjacent to the recess 32 so that this portion thereof will yield slightly to assist the engagement and disengagement of the pivot 29. L

When thecamera is folded the front'plate 1 closes the front of the bellows chamber 9, its inward movement being limited andpositively arrested by forwardly projecting extensions 34 that may be formed on "the frame 21.

The forward end of'each lazy tongs is connected to the front 1, in the present lnstance, by providing the free end of the outer links 35 with studs 36 traveling in slots or guides 37 and 38 at the top and bottom respectively of a bracket plate 39 secured to the rear side of the front plate 1. When the camera is open and the lazy tongs is extended, the

stud 36 will be near the top of the slots 38 in I which position it is automatically engaged behind'a locking shoulder 40 on-a spring arm 41- secured on the inner side. of the era again. Thus, the lazy tongs support is locked in folded position by the operation of devices at the inner end thereof, and in extended position by the operation of devices arranged at its outer end. But the guiding and locking arrangements for the upper stud 36 at the outer end are different from those of the lower stud. for the reason that the guides therefor cannot extend upwardly as far as they should to follow the full movement of the stud because of my preference in employing a two-way finder 4.2 at an elevated lateral position on the rear of the front plate 1. This finder is rotatably mounted so that the reflecting lens 43 thereof may be turned uppermost when the camera-is used in either of the two positions in which cameras of this type are adapted for zontally or vertically with respect to each other, and with the proportions of the cam-' era illustrated a proper extension of the guide 37 for the upper forward stud 36 of the lazy tongs would. intercept a view of the image with the finder adapted for one of these positions of use, as will be understood.

We, therefore, provide this stud 36with asliding extension plate at (Figs. 8 and 9) having a slot therein by means of which it is guided on a'headed pin 46 on the front plate 1, said plate extending downwardly or toward the median line of the-lazy tongs.

The extension is l.-shaped and the other por-. tion thereof has a shoulder 4:7 that cooperates with a shoulder 48 on a spring arm 49. similar to the arm 41 to lock the stud in position when the lazy tongs is extended.

7 mouse The feature of 4?. will form vth subject matter of a separate apolr cation.

The camerashutter 56 is directly connected t the front plate .1 and the front end of the bellows 3 is (zoom d to the front through the medium thereof to which end the :rear of the shutter casing is fitted with a frame or plate .51. having a continuum rearwardly turned flange 52 forming a. recess within which lies c-frame .53 to which the bellows is directly attached by cementing or otherwise. Protubcrances 5} formed up from this frame-53 at intervals (there being four in the present instance) space the frame 53 from the rear face or the frame .51 and't'he frame 53 is also spaced all around from the flange 52, the

two frames being held together by screws 55,

or other suitable means,so that a practically continuous passage is provided throughout the circumference of the outer end of the bellows which "admits of the rapid entrance of air within the letter or its cgness when the .bellows are quickly extended or collapsed. Such provision is necessary in a camera of this type, as upon opening or unfolding the same the front is simply pulled out with aquick movement that instantly affects the air pressure within the bellows, both the inward and outward movements being limited by the action of the lazy tongs, as before mentioned, the present camera being of the fixcdfocus type. It will be noted, however, that because of the tortuous charmeter of this passage due principally to the flange 52, the direct or reflected entrance of light therethrough into the interior of the bellows is prevented.

When in the extended position of Fig. 2 the front 1 may be positively supported on a stand by a suitable leg 56, (Figs. '2 and 8) pivoted at 57 to the front plate and having the folded position shown in Fig. 8. The. operative posit-ion of this leg is determined by the position of the shoulder 58 thereon with the stop 59 on the front plate 1.

With the object of rendering the inner or rear side of the camera lens accessible for cleaning or other purposes an opening is provided in alinement therewith in the back 4 which opening has a removable cover 60 but bears on the outer side of the back plate. Recesses 61 in'the margin of the opening admit radial projections 62 on the cover or door in applying the latter, and when the same is subsequently turned, these projec tions come up against stops 63 and rest in depressions 64 adj accnt thereto on the front of the back plate adjacent the opening so that the door is held yicldably in locked p0- sition, the projection 62 being preferably on a spring plate 65 secured by rivets 66 and this plate may be also utilized asa frame for holding in place the transparent but nonactinic screen 67 for the peep-hole 68 through which indicating marks on tbe filmmay be :seen, :as usual, this peep-hole being foamed iii the door itself.

The operating lever 69 of the shutter 50 we prefer to arrange on the rear sideof the plate 1 but it is not intended to be directly engaged by the hands of the operator. In-

'stead,rwe provide a fingerpieoe or button .70

connected thereto and guided in an extensioulm'eckct 7110f one of the bracket plates 39. when the camera is folded this finger piece 76 occupies an inaccessible position within the bellows chamber v9, being arranged as it is on the rear of the front plate, and it is therefore, protected as is the shutter operatingmember 69 so that there is no liability of its being inadvertently actuated, the shutter operated, and a length of film spoiled.

The specific means before alluded to that We prefer to employ for locking the cover plate en position comprises a pair of projections '72 extending laterally from the frame 21 and which enter recesses 73 in the cover These projectionsare headed, as at 74, land a sliding bolt 7 5 on the under side of the cover plate, guided at 76 on pins 7 7 is moved into and out of engagement with the said heads 74 by means of an abutment 78 secured thereto and accessible on the exterior of the plate 76 through a slot/Z9.

We claim as our invention:

1'. In a camera, the combination with a body having a back, and spool chambers at opposite ends thereof, the outer walls of which are constituted by the body, of a detachable and replaceable inner frame cooperating with'the body and having portions forming the inner walls of the respec-.

tive chambers.

2. In a camera, the combination with a body having a back, and spool chambers at opposite ends thereof the outer walls of which are constituted by the body, of a detuchablc and replaceable inner frame slidably 'coiiperating with the body to be detached therefrom in a direction longitudi-, nally of the spool chambers and having portions constituting the inner walls of the respective chambers.

3. In a camera, the combination with a body having spool chambers at opposite ends thereof, of a frame cobpcrating with the body hnd having portions forming Walls of the respective chambers and interlocking flanged portions at the terminating edges of the frame and body, respectively, slidably codperating with each other to permit the detachment and replacement of the frame in a direction longitudinally of the film chamber.

4. In a camera, the combination with a body having spool chambers at its ends, the front, back and outer walls of which are formed by the body, of a. detachable and replaccablc substantially U-shaped frame c0- operating with the body and comprising end portions, respectively, forming the inner wall of each chamber and an intermediate portion constituting a film guide extending between the chambers.

5. In a camera, the combination with a body embodying a back plate having forwardly and inwardly turned end portions, of a detachable'and replaceable frame, oooperating with the body and comprising forwardly turned end portions slidably cooperating with the end portions of the back plate to form spool chambers jointly therewith and an intermediate portion spaced from the back plate to form a restricted film passage and exposure chamber extending between the spool chambers, said frame being detachable from the body in a direction longitudinally of the spool chambers.

6. In a camera, the combination with a body provided with spool chambers and an intermediate exposure chamber, of a separate and removable cover for all of said chambers cotlperating with and acting as a closure for the ends of the spool chambers and means for securing the cover on the body comprising a rigidly connected projection on one of said parts and a sliding bolt on the other cooperating therewith.

7. In a camera, the combination with a body provided withspool chambers anclan intermediate exposure chamber, of a separate and removable cover for all of said chambers cooperating with and acting as a closure for the ends of the spool chambers and means for securing the cover on the body comprising a rigidly connected projection on one of said parts, a recessed portion on the other into which the' projection is adapted to extend and a bolt on said last mentioned part movable into and out o 1T terlocking engagement with the projection to hold it in the recessed portion.

8. In a folding camera, the combination with abody, of adetachable and replaceable frame cooperating therewith and adapt ed to be removed therefrom in a direction parallel with the focal plane of the camera, a bellows connected to the latter at one end, a front to which the other end of the bellows is connected and means connecting the front and frame for wholly supporting the former on the latter whereby the bellows and front are removable from the body with theframe.

9. In a folding camera, the combination with a frame at the front of the exposure chamber and a second frame secured to the first, of a bellows, a front connected to the front end of the bellows and a frame connected to the rear end of the latter and held in position by the cooperation of the first two mentioned frames.

10. ln a folding camera, the combination with a frame at the front of the exposure 1 1. In a folding camera, the combination I with a'frame at the front of the exposure chamber having an opening and forwardly projecting flanges at the margin of the opening, of a bellows, a frame to which the reanendthereof is connected, surrounding said flanges and a second frame cotiperating with the first mentioned frame to hold the bellows frame ainst' the latter.

12. In a fo ding camera, the combination with a frame at the front of the exposure chamber and a second frame secured to the first and having forwardly projecting extensions thereon, of a bellows, a front connected to the front end of thebellows, an extensible and collapsible support forthe front and a frame connected to the'rear end of the latter ,and held in position by the cooperation of the first two mentioned frames, the extensions on the second frame serving to limit the inward movement of'the first when the bellows and support are collapsed.

13. In a-camera, the combination with a body provided with spool chambers and an intermediate exposure chamber, of a bellows, a frame at the rear end thereof for securing it to the front of the exposure chamber, a projection on said frame, 'a cover for all of said chambers cooperating with and acting as a closure for the ends of the spool chambers and provided with a "recess receiving the beforementioned projection and a locking device on the cover adapted to cooperate with the projection.

14. In a folding camera, the combination with a bellows and a frame at one end thereof, of an extensible and collapsible support for the bellows embodying a lazy tongs, guides for the free end of one of the lazy tongs links, a pivot connecting said links and a depression in the frame with which said pivot cooperates to maintain the lazy tongs support in collapsed position.

15. In a folding camera, the combination with a bellows and a frame at one end thereof, of an extensible and collapsible support for the bellows embodying a lazy tongs comprising links, one of which is connected to the frame by a sliding pivot and a yielding catch on the frame provided with a shoulder cooperating with-said sliding connection to lock the supportin one of its positions.

16. in a folding camera, the combination with a bellows and a frame at one end there of, of an extensible and collapsible support for the bellows embodying a lazy tongs comprising links, one of which is connected to the frame by a sliding pivot, an extension on said pivot extending in the directionof the median line of the lazy tongs and provided with a locking shoulder, and a yielding catclr provided with a shoulder adapted to cooperate with the first mentioned shoulder to lock the support in one of its positions.

17. In a folding camera, the combination with a bellows and a front connected there to, of an extensible and collapsible support for the front embodying a lazy tongs, means at one end thereof for locking it in one of its said positions and means at the other end thereof for looking it in the other of its saidpositions.

18. In a folding camera, the combination with a bellows, and a recessed supporting part .at one end thereof, of a frame secured to said end of the bellows and lying in the recess but spaced' therefrom, said frame being connected to the support at a plurality of separated points.

- 19. In a folding camera, the combinationwith a supporting part embodying a frame having a continuous outwardly extending flange, of a bellows, ajf-rame connected to one end thereof and lying Within the flanges of the first mentioned frame, and means for spacing the bellows frame from the supportingv frame and from the flange thereof, leaving a practically continuous passage between the frames for the purpose set forth.

20. In a folding camera, the COI11blI1at1(. with a body having a fixed back, a bellows and a lens at the outer end thereoffoldable.

to a position adjacent the back, said back being provided with an opening in alinement with the lens, of a removable closure for said opening having a rotary interlocking connection with the back.

JOHN A. ROBERTSON. ROBERT KROEDEL.

Witnesses:

H. E. STONEBRAKER, HENRY W. HALL. 

